It’s time to pick up video equipment as, in 2022, video content is king and our industry isn’t ignoring it – we’re embracing it.
You might find it an odd thing for a PR agency to say, but copy isn’t the be all and end all – it’s time to pick up video equipment. In 2022, video content is king and our industry isn’t ignoring it – we’re embracing it.
For the past decade or so, there has been a heavy shift in the content that people are seeking out on the world wide web. In the 2000s and through the early 2010s, brands relied on written content through online news articles, features, blogs, social media, and newsletters to capture an audience’s attention. And while there’s still a place in the world for written content (particularly for brands which rely on being top of the search engines), video is a great way to complement it and ultimately bring your brand/story to life in an engaging way. It’s also great for time-poor target audiences who would rather watch a 30 second video over reading an article that could take 10 minutes.
Today, more people than ever before are seeking out and watching video-based content across the internet. Just look at the rise and proliferation of TikTok and reels over on Instagram. Consumers are getting increasingly keen to watch quick clips over reading a long form piece. In 2020, the number of people watching videos online surged past 240 million, which far surpassed previous predictions.
Video content is king
As video continues to be king, companies whether they’re operating in B2B or B2C markets should be looking to leverage the power of it internally and externally. One of the main benefits of using video across your organisation is it’s a proven way to convey brand messaging. You’re in full control of the narrative, messages, and the emotions you want your audience to feel when consuming your media.
Video is here to help you, you might just need a little guidance, and us PR folk can do just that. Whether you’re a fledgling business that hasn’t established its brand message or presence yet, or you’re an established business that wants to tell its story and strengthen its message, then it’s time to learn how video marketing is key to building your brand.
What do you want to achieve?
Before you dive into the fun of story boards and saying the famous words “cut”, like any other marketing strategy, your comms professional will ask you: “How does video fit into your marketing mix? What are your goals? What does success look like?”. Once you know this it’s far easier to be clear on why you’ve chosen video, and what you need it to do. Video needs to complement your other marketing or PR efforts to help shape and grow positive brand awareness.
Video is great at building awareness and getting customers to consider your brand over others, but is this what you want your videos to achieve? Your strategy might be different and that’s OK; just be clear on your goals before you begin!
Finding your video expert and setting budgets
Once you have cemented your goals, it’s now time to find your videographer. It could be someone internally in your marketing team, or you may be looking for external expert help.
If you are looking at outside support for your business, set a budget for the agency/videographer to work to. It can be easy to overspend or underspend, especially on editing. It’s all about finding the right team to help guide you and provide you with a service and outcome that’s value for money.
When it comes to setting the budget, make sure you keep your goals front of mind. Like with everything, there is a sliding scale, but quality can cost and it’s good to know what you can afford before getting carried away.
Film stars at the ready…
When you’re at the start of your marketing journey, you have to assume that whoever comes across your video content will have very little understanding of your brand, business, products and/or services. What this means is you need to guide them in your content, not just jump into the finer details without any introduction. Consider how long you want the video to be, and therefore what’s realistic to cover in terms of content for this duration.
If you and your brand are already well known there is a whole host of other content themes, such as sales drivers, people/talent focuses, behind the scenes, product launches, and business news etc.
Lights, camera, action!
By this point, you nearly have everything you need to get your video marketing plans rolling. While we understand it is unlikely to happen overnight, embracing all that video can offer your brand will be well worth it! We promise. And, if you need a helping hand we’re right here!
Feel free to contact us with any questions about video marketing for you and your brand. As the world begins to rely more on video content, it’ll only help build your business, and subsequently, your brand.
Here at Refresh, we always try to showcase who we are, what we stand for and what makes us that bit different. So, why not head over and follow us on our social channels, visit our meet the team page to learn more about our culture, or check out our other blogs on how to keep continuing to scale your business.